{"id":244553,"date":"2020-05-22T17:19:05","date_gmt":"2020-05-22T16:19:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/?p=244553"},"modified":"2020-05-22T17:25:52","modified_gmt":"2020-05-22T16:25:52","slug":"coronavirus-when-can-we-travel-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/2020\/05\/22\/coronavirus-when-can-we-travel-again\/","title":{"rendered":"Coronavirus pandemic: when can we travel again?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Friday\u00a0newsletters<\/a>\u00a0always feature luxury travel\u00a0contests<\/a>,\u00a0tips<\/a>,\u00a0series<\/a>, or\u00a0news<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Today (May 22, 2020): When can we go on a holiday again?<\/strong><\/h5>\n

As avid travelers, we have to face the reality: international travel as we have known it for decades will only return to full normality once the coronavirus pandemic fades. We will only be able to go on a holiday again when other countries open their borders, when international flight schedules resume, and when governments across the world lift their warnings against all non-essential overseas travel. While experts don\u2019t have a crystal ball, most agree that it will take around 2 to 3 years before the travel industry begins to return to regular levels. In the meantime, both the airline and hotel industry will undergo some very big changes (as I have explained in my other blogposts here<\/a> and here<\/a>). That said, some countries are offering some hope in these dark days and are preparing to welcome travelers again in the very near future.<\/p>\n

How does the covid-19 pandemic affect your travel plans? Leave a comment<\/strong> or take my poll<\/strong> below.<\/p>\n

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ICELAND<\/strong><\/p>\n

Icelandic authorities have taken preventive steps to contain the potential spread of the COVID-19 virus in the country. As Iceland has few entry points and the lowest population density in Europe, the country has been able to move swiftly to identify, communicate with and, where necessary, quarantine Icelandic residents. Iceland has now announced it will open to tourists again on June 15th but with several conditions. Tourists visiting Iceland after this date can make a choice: go into an immediate two week quarantine, get tested for the coronavirus, or present a clean bill of health from the health authorities in their home countries. On top of that, visitors will also be asked to install the Rakning C-19<\/a>\u00a0contagion tracing app on their smart phones.<\/p>\n

The most exciting news here is that travelers can get a test for the coronavirus at Keflav\u00edk Airport upon arrival in Iceland. It is estimated that roughly 1,000 samples will be taken each day, and samples will be sent to a lab, where an analysis will be made within five hours. Many hotels will have to set up \u201cisolation corridors\u201d within their facilities, so that guests will have somewhere to stay safely in the event that they test positive for the coronavirus. The test will cost $350 USD per person and will be paid by the government for two weeks, at which time the progress will be evaluated and assessed. If the project is successful, then passengers will be charged for further tests.<\/p>\n

\"Iceland<\/a><\/p>\n

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GREECE<\/strong><\/p>\n

Greece<\/a> has been praised for its handling of the coronavirus pandemic, recording fewer than 200 coronavirus-related deaths and fewer than 3000 confirmed cases. Greece\u2019s vast archipelagos of islands – including Mykonos and Santorini – has remained remarkably free of coronavirus. Unfortunately though, the coronavirus pandemic threatens to ruin Greece’s tourism industry, which kicks off next month and is vital to the country’s economy. However, as Greece acted fast on the coronavirus, it can now re-open earlier than most other countries and will welcome tourists again as of June 15th. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the country’s success in containing the virus would be a “passport of safety, credibility and health ” to international visitors.<\/p>\n

The country will take some safety precautions though. While tourists will be allowed to enter Greece without taking a coronavirus test or remaining in quarantine, health officials will continue to conduct coronavirus spot tests when required. Healthcare capacity will be boosted at popular tourist and resort destinations with medical staff and improved facilities, along with a comprehensive plan for the handling of possible infections. To encourage tourism, Greece is also making travel cheaper by temporarily reducing value added tax (VAT) on all transport – flights, bus journeys and rail travel – to 13% from 24%. Taxes on coffee, soft drinks and tickets for open-air cinemas, a mainstay of any Greek summer, will also be slashed.<\/p>\n